I'M BACK AGAIN! …BY MY ESTIMATION, THIS STORY WILL STOP AT 44 CHAPTERS! DANG, THAT'S A LOT BY OTHERS COMPARISON. NOT TO MENTION THIS IS CURRENTLY THE 5TH WORDIEST HnKnA STORY YET! WHO KNOWS, MAYBE BY THE END, IT'LL BE THE LONGEST? ANYWAYS, COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS APPRICIATED, AND I OWN NOTHING! ENJOY THE NEXT ACTION PACKE INSTALATION OF NEW GIRL, OLD STORY!

Ch.33: Kidnapped…again.

My stomach churned nervously as my foot crunched down at last upon the soil of our destination. The Badlands. I looked about. Aside from our party, there wasn't a living soul about. To either side of me, the trees were densely packed before just cutting off suddenly, like they didn't dare to grow further. In front of me, an almost featureless, vast ploy of sand stretched unbroken to the horizon. I shivered, the massive wasteland giving me a strange, foreboding feeling. I glanced at the others, curious of their reactions and trying to get my mind off my own feelings.

Peirce was twiddling his thumbs nervously, slightly trembling. Boris was biting his lower lip, but showed no otherwise signs of nervousness. Yuri was staring out to the pale land, his expression blank as a stone. I skimmed over White and moved onto Ace, still feeling awkward and fuzzy about our *chough* chat earlier. Ace, as always, was smiling obliviously. I sighed and started walking forward, "Come on, we're not going to get anything done staring at it."

And so, we continued to walk through the barren land. Well, apparently, it wasn't as barren as I had thought it was. "AAAAKKKK!" I hit the ground hard, the coarse sand skinning my palms. White was there first, "Are you alright C.J?" He grabbed my elbow and helped me up out of the hole I'd fallen in. I huffed, "D***** PRARIE DOG BURROWS!" White laughed this time, not just his usual chuckle. I huffed again, "Quit laughing! We're in a dangerous situation here!" He grinned down at me, "I'm always in a dangerous situation. I'm laughing because that was adorable." I blushed madly, and not from the heat. I hadn't forgotten the whole charade in the forest; he was purposely trying to wazz me out! Well, forget it! I'm not letting that work! I huffed once more at him, and then turned sharply back to the others (whom were all staring at us) "Move it or lose it! We need to start hauling it!"

All but Ace flinched and turned to start walking. I marched to the front of the line and started walking in a random direction. After a bit of walking about without seeing a single landmark, Peirce started getting twitchy, "Umm…C.J? Do you know where we're going?" It's not like I can lie to them…. "Not a clue. I'm hoping my bulls*** luck will kick in again." Peirce groaned and Boris sighed and muttered something along the lines of, "I hope dyeing isn't too painful." Ace kept on the phony grin, but this time, concern was visible beneath the mask. Yuri, however, didn't seem to question my judgment and kept his eyes peeled on the horizon. White was well behind me, and I didn't dare look back at him.

We trudged onward for about an hour before we stopped to break for water and rest. I planted myself down on the soft shifting sands, thankfully pulling out my canteen. I downed a mouthful of water and refused myself anymore, trying to conserve it. I didn't know how long we would be out here. Yuri sat near Boris and Peirce, talking quietly with them about something or other, and Ace sat a little ways off, observing the dull area with over interest. And of course, White sat next to me. Joy.

I overcame the nagging need to move away and managed to keep my butt where it was. Thankfully, White didn't continue our previous discussion. Instead, he shoved something in my hand. I looked down to see a black and red pistol. He smiled a little, "I just realized you were nearly unarmed. I'd feel a lot better knowing you have it." Then he gave me several packs of ammo, made sure I knew how to use the weapon, and I put both new items in my bag.

He looked at me for a moment, "C.J, it has occurred to me that you haven't seen the show at the circus yet, have you?" …I don't know what's worse, talking to him, or not talking to him. "No, I haven't." He smiled cheerfully at me, "Good! When this is all over, I insist you come and see the show." Assuming this will ever end…and if I'm alive when it does. Instead of voicing this morbid thought, I smiled back, "I'd like that." Peirce leaned over, "Oh yeah! C.J hasn't even gotten to play at the park yet!" Boris grinned, "Yeah, you still need to see all of the awesome roller coasters!" Ace smiled his usual, "And I still have to show you the maze at the castle!" Soon, they were all bickering about what I had to see first and coming up with new ideas of what to show me.

I chuckled a little. White glanced at me, "What is it?" I shook my head a little, "Nothing. It's just that it seems I've been here so long, and yet I haven't seen half of this world yet!" White smirked a little, "Can't the same be said of your world? Alice has said that your world was far vaster that this one." I thought for a moment, "Yeah, I guess you're right." "He usually is." I jumped. I will never get used to Black suddenly popping into the conversation like that.

….

We had been walking for some time now, still seeing nothing but sand and the occasional boulder pile. I sighed, well; at least these clouds keep the sun from baking us.

A bizarre twinge jerked at my nerves and I stopped in my tracks. I jerked my head this way and that, trying to see what had put me on edge. White put his hand on my shoulder, "C.J, are you alright?" I could see that everyone was staring at me, concerned, but I couldn't answer. I COULDN'T. I felt like a rabbit in a clearing, fearing all the sorts of predators that might be lurking out of sight. I must have looked like one to, jerking my head from side to side. Not a single thing, not even a tumble weed blowing across the sands, disturbed the painting like stillness. And yet, I couldn't banish the horrid spasms my kidney was having. My nerves all seemed to light up as a darker than normal cloud drifted low overhead.

"…Something's wrong." Ace actually frowned, looking around, "Huh? What so you mean-" "Everyone, get down!" I grabbed the nearest person to me, who happened to be Yuri, and shoved him down on his stomach as I got down to. "Get down!" Scared by my sudden reactions, the others got down without a word.

I tucked my hands over my head and stared at the sky, watching and waiting for the source of my inner disturbance to show itself. Out from above the dark cloud above us, the gray belly of the Jabberwocky lowered down. Everyone inhaled sharply as the beast coasted lower, scanning the ground for prey. I silently prayed it wouldn't be able to pick us out from the sand by color or scent. It coasted a little further, passed right above us, and then made an audible chuffing sound and ascended, disappearing once more in the gray layer of clouds.

We all sat there for a moment more, waiting to see if it would return. Eventually, we all stood up carefully. Peirce let out a giant sigh of relief, "Thank the Dealer! That was close!" Boris wiped sweat off his brow, "Too close for comfort." Yuri brushed his shaggy bangs back, "Indeed. C.J, how did you know the Jabberwocky was drawing near?" I shivered, "I got this really bad feeling. Strange though, maybe it wasn't him that tipped me off." White looked confused, "What do you mean?" I shrugged, the twanging still pulling violently at my gut, "I don't know, but he's gone, and the feeling's still…uh-oh."

The ground trembled behind me, the great beast having dropped right out of the clouds and landed right behind us! We all spun around and gasped as the beast launched its first attack. It snapped its jaws down on the spot that White had been standing not a second earlier. It pulled its now sandy muzzle out of the ground and made a sharp, very angry sound at us. Noticing that everyone else had their guns drawn and were unloading into the beast, I drew my loaned one and started firing at the Jabberwocky. However, our bullets proved useless as the projectiles ricochet off the beasts' scaly hide and landed in the sand. I pulled the trigger once more only to have the barrel click. Out of ammo. I fumbled, trying to reload.

Taking advantage of my distraction, the beast leaned his head down to look at me. I shivered. I don't know which was worse, his stare, or his now one-eyed stare. It seemed to be focusing on me. …I didn't blame it.

Suddenly, my feet were whipped out from under me! I was falling hard, only to be caught. But, I would rather have fallen. Because next I was lifted into the air, the Jabberwocky's clawed fingers closing around my torso. I screamed bloody murder. I could see all of the guys' face dark with horror, but none more so than Whites. "C.J!" He aimed for the monsters remaining eye and started firing, a desperate attempt to make it drop me. Ace snapped out of it first, aiming and firing for its stomach, hoping there was a soft spot. Yuri let loose a wicked growl, "LET HER GO, YOU SCALY DEMON!" He opened fire on the head. Peirce and Boris soon joined in to, firing reputedly.

But none of their shots did any good; they all bounced off harmlessly. The Jabberwocky twisted his head to the side, protecting his good eye, and let out an angry hiss.

I truly expected him to flex his fingers and squeeze my guts out, to flick his wrist and break my spine. But the beasts grip on me was firm; not harsh. It even moved me behind it, shielding me from the bullets. It let out one more roar, and then flapped his arms, taking off into the sky. The wind pulsed around me as I was waved about, the air rushing from my lungs. I looked down at the others and their helpless faces, their silent apologies for their inability to save me. All except White. He kept firing at the beast, anger harsh on his face. And then, the clouds block him from my view.

….

P.O.V Change: Peirce

We all stared after the Jabberwocky disappeared into the clouds, C.J in hand. I felt tears starting to brim, but I shoved them down. C.J wouldn't want me to cry. Boris was the first to make any real movement; he put his hand on his forehead, "…D*** it. JUST D*** IT!" He threw his gun on the ground and sat down, a deep growling building in the back of his throat, "D*** IT! WE WERE USELESS! USELESS!" I choked back a sob, "And now, it's got C.J…." For the first time, the knight actually looked truly scared, "What can we do? Our guns are useless! We're sitting ducks out here while that thing is doing Dealer knows what to C.J!"

White was silent the whole time, staring at where they had vanished. Suddenly, he clenched his fist, "It wanted her alive." I looked over at him, confused, "Huh?" Yuri walked over to him, nodding, "Yes, you're right. It planned that whole thing!" Boris slid his hand over his face, "What do you mean?" White turned around to face us…I swear, I have never, and hope to never again see the ringmaster this p***** off. "Think about it. A sneak attack, using the clouds as cover, flying away with her? If it wanted her dead, it would have swooped down and tore her head clean off her shoulders. Not to mention it left without paying us any mind! It planned this." Yuri nodded again, his face equally dark, "Yes, it wants her alive; for what purpose, I can't say. But as long as there is a chance she is alive, we must venture forth to find her." Boris stared at the ground, "Even if we do find her, we can't beat that thing. We don't know where it went-" Yuri growled, "Get up. I can track that beast down now that it's traveling up wind of us. And if we can't beat it, we will retreat, but not without C.J!"

I frowned and stood up, "We will find C.J!" Ace stared at us for a moment, then grinned and stood up, "Let's not forget what we came here to do. We also have to rescue Alister." White nodded, satisfied with these answers, and then glared down at Boris, "Are you really willing to let C.J meet her fate at the jaws of that beast?" Boris stared at the ground for a moment, and then picked up his discarded gun, a newly fierce look in his eyes. "No way." Joker smiled, "Good." He turned back to spot that they had disappeared, "In the name of the Dealer, I swear, I'll get you back C.J. I promise."

….

P.O.V Change: C.J

I wriggled about in the Jabberwocky's hand, but to no anvil. The monster had an iron clad grip on my torso. I sighed; thankful it had started coasting on the warm wind instead of flapped its wings. I continued to struggle, trying to free a little space for myself. …I'll admit, I was scared out of my mind. I didn't know where this thing was taking me, or why it was taking me, but I did know it wasn't anything good.

After about half an hour into the flight, I managed to free one of my arms. I reached back down, and grasped around in my bag for something useful. Space was tight though, and the only even remotely useful thing I could reach was my knife. I pulled it out and banged in on the beasts armored forearm, trying to get it to puncture. The vibration left my arm feeling like I'd hit my funny bone. I groaned and closed my eyes, trying to come up with a way out of this. Then an idea struck me.

I opened my eyes to re-observe the scales, pleased to find that they were layered on top of one another, like sheets of paper. I adjusted the grip on my knife, reared up the plunge, and shoved the blade right up under one of the scales. Apparently, this must have been the equal of getting a shard of glass shoved under your finger nail and into the quake, because the Jabberwocky howled like wolf, his grip on my loosing. In fact, he let go. I dropped like a stone. Ahh, the laws of physics.

I screamed as I fell, the wind ripping the air from my voice. I plummeted through the dense clouds and saw the land far below. I panicked, and released my panic. Hey, this is probably a lot more merciful than whatever that thing had in store for me. I gulped, still having many regrets. I never got to play at the park, of get lost in the maze, or see the show…and I'll never get to see White again. I twitched, of all people, why does he come to mind? I didn't have time to think about this as the ground rushed to meet me.

OH NO! SO NOW C.J IS A FAIR MAIDEN IN DISTRESS? OH WELL, I'M SURE SHE CAN HANDLE IT. PLUS, WHITE GETS TO PLAY HER PRINCE CHARMING XD I HOPE YOU ENJOYED! PLEASE REVIEW, OR THE BUNNIE OF DOOM WILL USE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH TO WAX HIS EARS WHILE YOU SLEEP! (…EWWW-_-')